Lantana plant named ‘Liberty Bell’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lantana  plant named ‘Liberty Bell’, characterized by its compact, mounding and outwardly spreading growth habit; freely branching plant habit; yellow-green and dark green variegated foliage; freely flowering habit; and yellow and white-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Lantana camara.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Liberty Ball’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lantana, botanically known as Lantana camara, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Liberty Bell’.

The new Lantana is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Riverhead, N.Y. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and freely-flowering Lantana cultivars with attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Lantana is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Lantana camara cultivar Silvermound, not patented. The new Lantana was discovered and selected by the Inventor from within a population of plants of ‘Silvermound’ in a controlled environment in Riverhead, N.Y. on May 4, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lantana by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Riverhead, N.Y. since November, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Lantana are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Liberty Bell has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Liberty Bell’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Liberty Bell’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Lantana:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding and outwardly spreading growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching plant habit.     -   3. Yellow-green and dark green variegated foliage.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Yellow and white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lantana can be compared to plants of the parent, the cultivar Silvermound. Plants of the new Lantana differ from plants of the cultivar Silvermound in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lantana are more compact and less vigorous         than plants of the cultivar Silvermound.     -   2. Plants of the new Lantana are more freely branching and have         shorter internodes then plants of the cultivar Silvermound.     -   3. Plants of the new Lantana have smaller leaves than plants of         the cultivar Silvermound.     -   4. Plants of the new Lantana have variegated foliage whereas         plants of the cultivar Silvermound have solid green-colored         foliage.

Plants of the new Lantana can be compared to plants of the Lantana camara cultivar Samantha, not patented. In side-by-side comparison conducted in Riverhead, N.Y., plants of the new Lantana differed from plants of the cultivar Samantha in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lantana were more compact and less vigorous         than plants of the cultivar Samantha.     -   2. Plants of the new Lantana were more freely branching and had         shorter internodes than plants of the cultivar Samantha.     -   3. Plants of the new Lantana had smaller leaves than plants of         the cultivar Samantha.     -   4. Plants of new Lantana and the cultivar Samantha differed in         flower color as plants of the cultivar Samantha had golden         yellow-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lantana, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lantana.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Liberty Bell’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences and leaves of ‘Liberty Bell’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Riverhead, N.Y. in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse during the spring and summer under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures were about 24° C., night temperatures were about 20° C. and light levels ranged from 3,000 to 8,000 foot-candle. Plants were about three months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lantana camara cultivar Liberty Bell. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Lantana     camara cultivar Silvermound, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 days at             temperatures of 24° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at             temperatures of 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 28 days             at temperatures of 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 32 days             at temperatures of 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Compact; initially upright, the outwardly             spreading and mounding. Freely branching; about ten to             twelve lateral branches per plant; pinching enhances lateral             branch development; dense and bushy growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 13 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 30 cm to 35 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 16 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1 cm.         -   Strength.—Flexible but strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color, immature.—144B.         -   Color, mature.—close to 165A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Roughly ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Coarse, rough; pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully developed foliage, upper             surface: Towards the margins, 145C; random central sectors,             147A; venation, 157A to 144C. Developing and fully developed             foliage, lower surface: Towards the margins, 145C; random             central sectors, 146A; venation, 157A to 145B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: 145B or 150D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Solitary salverform flowers             arranged in axially umbels; flowers face mostly upward or             outward. Freely flowering habit with potentially two             inflorescences developing per node.         -   Natural flowering season.—Spring until frost in the autumn;             flowering continuous during this period.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About two to three weeks.             Flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Mildly sweet.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,             four-parted Diameter: About 3 cm. Depth (height): About 2             cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 0.4 mm.             Shape: Elongate, oblong. Color: 144C.         -   Color.—Arrangement: Single whorl of four fused petals. Petal             length: About 1 cm. Petal width: About 1 cm. Petal shape:             Roughly ovoid. Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin: Entire.             Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, velvety.             Color: Petal, when opening, upper and lower surfaces: 11D.             Petal, fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: 155C. Throat:             11D. Tube: 155C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One single calyx tube per flower. Calyx             length: About 3 mm. Calyx width: About 2 mm. Apex: Rounded.             Texture: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 144C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm             to 2 mm. Strength: Flexible, but strong. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: Less than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per             flower, adnate to floral tube. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther             length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: 9A. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: 9A. Pistils: Quantity: One per             flower. Stigma shape: Bi-lobed. Style length: About 2 mm.             Style color: 150D. Ovary color: 149D. Seeds: Size: About 4             mm by 4 mm. Color, immature: 144D. Color, mature: 202A. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Lantana have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 8° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Lantana have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Lantanas. 

1. A new and distinct Lantana plant named ‘Liberty Bell’ as illustrated and described. 